1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to mailbox holders.
More particularly, the invention relates to free-standing mailbox holders of a type suitable to carry a mailbox at a roadside location.
2. Description of Prior Art
Simple, traditional mailbox holders intended for roadside use often consist of a post secured in the ground with a horizontal support arm to which a mailbox is attached. These and other unitary-type mailbox holders are easily damaged and may require replacement of the entire unit if hit by, for example, a motor vehicle, or damaged from mischievous or malicious activity.
Some roadside mailbox holders are arranged to provide limited movement or play in the mailbox support, and thereby be somewhat forgiving in the event they are hit by a vehicle or otherwise. Such strike-forgiving mailbox holders tend to be either ineffective, or relatively complicated and expensive, and the play in such holders can compromise unit integrity.
Still other roadside mailbox holders are intended to break-away from a base located in the ground in the event of a vehicle strike. These types of holders also tend to be relatively complicated and expensive, and very few installations ever require such breakaway capability.
Installation of these and other prior mailbox holders typically requires digging a hole in the ground, positioning the post into the hole, and then re-filling the hole with dirt around the post. This process is, at best, inconvenient, and may be difficult to impossible such as in rocky-ground conditions or during the middle of the winter. Prior mailbox holders set directly into the ground also tend to lean, raise up, or otherwise shift and move around over a period of time, due to extreme hot-cold temperatures, ground freeze-thaw cycles, wind, rain, and other changing weather conditions. To prevent such shifting or movement over time, the mailbox holder post may be set in concrete in the ground. However, because reuse of the concrete base is generally impossible, and removal of the concrete base can be difficult, a new hole is typically require to replace a damaged mailbox holder.